QT 26/01/2024 Friday Matthew 23. How I bore you on eagles' wings. 像鹰一样把你们背在翅膀上。
QT 26/01/2024 Friday Matthew 23
http://www.esvbible.org/matt23
Since all the "technical" questions have been fully answered and rebutted, it's time for the conclusion - 7 woes pronounced on those who PRESUMED themselves to be "teachers of the law" & "Pharisees".
Matt 23 is not easy to preach in many churches. You might even wonder how a loving Jesus could ever use such strong words - but there it is in Matthew, proving to the Jews that Jesus IS the Messiah.
Matthew 23:1-12: Jesus told the crowds to watch out for double-personality teachers who do not practice what they preach (Matt 23:3). They say something in front of you, but do the opposite behind you.
Unlike Jesus whose burden is light (Matt 11:28-30), these teachers load you with "heavy loads" which they themselves are NOT interested to carry (Matt 23:4). Their hearts are unable to feel your pains/burdens.
These teachers "love the place of honor" (Matt 23:6). During a group photoshoot or banquet, they would rush to the more prominent places to "show-off" and to seal their exalted "status" in the archives.
In Matt 23:13-36, we see the 7 woes [acrostic SCRIBES]
Shut the door of the kingdom on others (Matt 23:13);
Corrupt the converts (Matt 23:15);
Reverse the truth on oath taking (Matt 23:16-22);
Invert values on what is significant (Matt 23:23-24);
Boost up the importance of rituals wrongly (Matt 23:25-26);
Externalise religion - outward appearance hiding internal decay (Matt 23:27,28).
Swagger about their superior goodness, "better than our ancestors" when they are in fact no better (Matt 23:29-32).
REFLECTION: Ask your CG members to check on you on 1-7 above.
Matt 23:37-39: Jerusalem, the centre and heart of the religion, refuses to come under the protection of Jesus' wings, because "they were not willing" (Matt 23:37).
The LORD of the Exodus generation also attempted to bring that 1st generation under His wings, "You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' WINGS, and brought you to Myself" (Exo 19:4).
But they, similarly, were ultimately "not willing" and died in the desert in the next 40 years except for Joshua and Caleb who "were willing".
REFLECTION: Am I willing to submit to Jesus and come under the authority of the church He founded?
星期五 2024年1月26日 今日读经：马太福音23章
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Mat/23/
既然所有“技术性”的问题都已完全解答和辩驳，该是总结的时候了---那些自称是“经学家”和“法利赛人”的将面临七大灾祸。
马太福音23章并不是个容易在教会里传讲的篇章。你甚至会惊讶这么慈爱的耶稣怎么会用这么强烈的字眼---但这都出现在马太福音里，向犹太人表明耶稣就是弥赛亚。
马太福音23:1-12: 耶稣告诉众人要当心双面人的教师，他们只会说而不去作(太23:3)。他们在你面前说一套，但在你背后却做另一套。
耶稣的担子是轻省的(太11:28-30),这些经学家却把“重担”压在人的肩头上，但自己连一个指头也不肯动(太23:4)。他们的心无法感受你的痛/负担。
这些经学家喜欢“崇高的位子”(太23:6)。在拍团体照或在宴席上时，他们会抢在最显眼的地方“炫耀”自己并把自己崇高的“地位”锁入档案室里。
在太23:13-36,我们看到了7大灾祸[由英文字SCRIBES的每个字母为开头]
关起天国的门，不让人进去(太23:13)；
败坏信徒(太23:15)；
颠倒了起誓的真理(太23:16-22);
颠倒了含重要意义的价值观(太23:23-24)；
错误地放大仪式的重要(太23:25-26);
注重宗教的外在形式--外观隐藏着内在的腐败(太23:27,28)。
为着自己优越的素质得意洋洋，认为“比自己的祖先优越”但实际上他们并没有比祖先来得好(太23:29-32)。
反思：让你小组的组员从以上1-7为你审查一下。
太23:37-39: 耶路撒冷，宗教的中心和心脏，不肯来到耶稣的翅膀底下受庇护，因为他们“不愿意”(太23:37)。
救以色列人出埃及的耶和华也曾试着带第一代人来到祂的翅膀底下，“我向埃及人所行的，你们都看见了；也看见了我怎样像鹰一样把你们背在翅膀上，带领你们到我这里来”(出19:4)。
但他们，同样的，始终“不愿意”并在往后的40年死在沙漠里，除了那“愿意”的约书亚和迦勒。
反思：我是否愿意顺服耶稣，顺服在祂所建立的教会的权柄下？
